Embarrassed college QB caught on camera throwing cash around strip club just weeks before his NFL Draft humiliation

After being brutally snubbed at the 2026 NFL Draft, Diego Pavia’s humiliating week has taken another twist after footage of him at a strip club, just weeks prior, emerged.

In a video obtained by The Daily Mail, the Heisman Trophy finalist was seen inside the Knockouts Gentlemen’s Club in Albuquerque for a wild night on March 8.

In the video, the former Vanderbilt quarterback traded the pigskin for wads of cash, after he was seen throwing money at dancers while at the adult entertainment club.

According to TMZ, one source revealed that ‘all of the money’ seen on stage in the footage came from Pavia, who reportedly stayed at the club until 5am that night.

It’s not the first time that Pavia has sparked controversy over a club appearance, after previously doing so in the days that followed his Heisman Trophy heartbreak.

After being snubbed for the award, the former Vanderbilt star initially re-posted an Instagram story of himself and his offensive line captioned ‘F-ALL THE VOTERS, BUT…..FAMILY FOR LIFE.’

Former Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia seen at a strip club, just weeks before the NFL Draft

Pavia threw wads of cash at dancers at the Knockouts Gentlemen’s Club in Albuquerque

However, he was later photographed at a club with a sign reading ‘F*** Indiana’ in his section. The Heisman runner-up later apologized for his actions.

Meanwhile, the emergence of the recent footage comes amid a humiliating week for Pavia, after the quarterback was snubbed by all 32 teams across three days of the NFL Draft, becoming the first Heisman Trophy finalist to go undrafted since 2014. 

To compound Pavia’s misery, he also didn’t get offered a contract as an undrafted rookie free agent on the open market after the draft wrapped up. 

However, despite the fact that Pavia’s NFL career appears to be hanging by a thread, there was some relief for the controversial quarterback on Sunday night.

The 24-year-old was handed a lifeline when it emerged the Baltimore Ravens had extended an invitation to participate in their rookie minicamp next weekend.

The minicamp does not guarantee Pavia a spot on the Ravens’ roster but it does offer him a chance at redemption. 

Unlike his Heisman rival Fernando Mendoza, who was selected by the Las Vegas Raiders with the No. 1 overall pick, Pavia was never expected to be a top selection. 

However, Pavia could end up in the Canadian Football League, given one of its teams have already secured his negotiating rights. 

The emergence of the video comes after Pavia was snubbed by all 32 teams at the NFL Draft

The 24-year-old was handed a lifeline when it emerged the Baltimore Ravens had extended an invitation to participate in their rookie minicamp next weekend

Meanwhile, ESPN’s Pat McAfee also pointed to the UFL – the innovative minor football league that runs through the spring – as a potential landing spot for Pavia. 

Pavia threw for 3,539 yards and 29 touchdowns during a breakout 2025 season. 

Furthermore, he was a four-year starter across two programs, completing 62.2 percent of his passes in 53 career games for 10,255 yards with 88 touchdowns and 27 interceptions.

Yet, there had been concerns over his size with Pavia only standing at 5-foot-10 and 203 pounds. He also has a history of controversy, something which NFL general managers may have been wary of.